Metro Riders in Washington, D.C. Stop iPhone Thief

A group of Metro riders in Washington, D.C. stopped a man after he stole a passenger’s iPhone on the Red Line. Watch the incident unfold here.

The thief took off after grabbing the phone out of the passenger’s hand. Several passengers then ran after the man and pushed him to the ground. Soon after, Metro Police came and arrested the thief.

Metro Police said they appreciate the passengers getting the phone back, but recommend that they report cell phone thefts to police instead of taking matters into their own hands.

The incident happened in April.

What would you have done if you were on the train?

The Metro Police wouldn’t have had time to track down the stolen phone. By the time the person reporting the theft had gotten off the phone with police, the suspect would have been out of the Metro Station. It’s unlikely that the Metro Police would have then left the Metro area to try to track down a stolen phone in the city. The local police probably wouldn’t respond because it wouldn’t be a priority for them.